3/17 Moving from TR - Anyone?

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Julie and Eleanor said:
http://felinediabetes.com/FDMB/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=66431&p=722140#p722140

I've been posting on the TR forum even though I'm following SLGS. I'm moving here to the Relaxed forum now. Due to my own health issues I'm not able to follow TR.
I was wondering if someone here could look at our condo on TR (link above) and Eleanor's SS and offer any suggestions? Or comments?
thank you!
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Hi Julie,
I am not too sure what the rules are around this group, but I like to think that we just do our best for our cats, and if it means thinking outside the box, well then, that's what we shall do.

For me, I think there are 3 tests most important: amps, pmps, before bed test.
For sure you have been getting plenty of tests, and it looks like you started off nice and low with Lantus, and worked up slowly so that your girl had chance to let the dose settle. Even her numbers are looking not too shabby, and lots better than some other cats.
You are doing just fine.

You profile states you are feeding the good low carb wet food and removing the few hours before shots, so everything is fine there.

Aside from the Lysine, do you think there are any other problems that she is getting?
From your other post:
She is barely eating. She always just picked at her food, until shortly before her Dx, when she had become a pig.
After starting the lantus she eventually started picking again, which I thought was a good sign, but now she's to the point of turning her nose up when I feed her. Once in awhile she will eat a few bites on her own. I'm syringe feeding her because it's the only way to get it into her. I've been giving her Pepcid.
I've tried oregano, fortiflora, parmesan cheese...raising her bowl (it helped the first couple times), making a mountain out of her food, adding water...
Right now I'm worried sick she has ketones, she got so elusive I couldn't get her pee with a ladle, so I tried aquarium gravel in the litter box, so she's peeing under the bed.
She's playing and grooming. Or she has been, right now she's being really quiet.
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My girl Shadoe sounds similar to you girl; picky and needing to be coaxed to eat.

Shadoe had lots of issues with pancreatitis, and I was giving her pepcid at shot times. I gave her 1/4 tab BID and it helped her for quite some time. I also needed to add water into her food as she was not a big water drinking. I switched vets and he suggested that I start her on B12 shots because her pancreas was always inflamed and giving her problems. After I started the B12 shots, no more pancreatitis, and no more need to give pepcid. Maybe talk to your vet about trying B12 shots, if her pancreas is giving her issues.

Coaxing her to eat is a tough one; lots of cats are so particular, and if you get a case of something your cat seemed to really like, I bet you find that your cat decided that food was not good anymore!
I have a big guy, Ollie, and I put his food on a little platform table, about 8inches off the floor and he loved it. As has been mentioned, you could try putting food in diff places, at diff heights, and see what she likes.
I should also mention that Ollie never drinks water from a bowl so he has to have his food souped up... equal parts food and water. There have been days when he would lap up the water in the food, then look at me like 'can you put more water in' and then he would eat more. If you try souping the food more or less than you already do, it may be more to her liking. My Shadoe likes a bit of water but not too much, while Ollie loves the water.

Also, if you make a list of your concerns, just brainstorm and write down the first 12 things that come to your mind, and then ask your vet, you may get some good suggestions what to try.

For catching urine, some cats are impossible. My Shadoe faced out of the hooded LB so there was no way I could catch any urine, but I just used the puddle in the box after she exited. Maybe you can put up a post in health to ask about ways to test in urine for ketones; I am positive that there are lots of ways people follow, so see who says what and give the new ways a try.

It seems like you are doing what you need to do, so please remind yourself that some cats take their time at settling, and you guys have been at it since only Feb9/12.

Look for the physical signs to show up before you get the good numbers.
Look for the coat to improve, the eyes to be more open and clear, watch the intake of water and output of urine amounts, look to how she lies and walks, and her old habits will start to return in time.

In time, you will begin to see a happier Eleanor and good numbers. I hope you can find some good ways to get her to eat a bit more.
 
Gayle, thank you for your reply.
Eleanor has over the years, had occasional problems with acid stomach. I would give her 1/4 Pepcid for that. I've now started her on 1/4 Pepcid twice a day.
When she was DX'd, the vet did a complete blood workup, including the test for Pancreatitis, it was negative. Could her pancreas be causing trouble for her but that test still be negative? And are the B-12 shots something I could give at home?
She doesn't seem sick exactly, she's playing and grooming and lying in normal positions. Her flare-up of the chronic upper respiratory problem is over, for now.
I don't know what is going on, or if what I'm seeing is just normal for an unregulated diabetic cat. Sometimes I think I'm just watching her too closely and I'm making a big deal out of things that are nothing.
My main concern is the eating problem, as I said she always picked at her food, and she really may not be eating all that much less than she ever did, maybe I'm just aware of it because I'm watching her so closely. You know I used to put the food down, I'd see her eating, and that was it!
 
For pancreatitis, think of it like a fever. If you had your temperature taken last week at the dr, that does not mean you can't have a fever now. It's something that needs to be tested at the time of the attack, just like a fever.
Treating is normally with pepcid BID, like you are doing, and then fluids and pain meds because it's quite painful.
I would not expect an attack/flare if you have a bouncy happy kitty though.

For the B12, I got a vial (the pink stuff) from my vet and give both my cats shots weekly using normal U100 syringes. You can talk to your vet about it as B12 has many good advantages, so your vet may well be in agreement to give it a try.

I think every person on this site can relate to the worry and the feeling we are watching too closely. We have all done it, and in the start, it's great to see all the little things more clearly because later on, as they change, you will notice more!

I would guess you would want to watch closely for the known chronic URI issues and keep on top of those, and maybe you can keep a track of how much food you are giving, and when so that you will know for sure when there are changes.

I think you are doing a great job caring for your Eleanor.
 
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